Telegram founder Pavel Durov challenges hackers after security fix
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has publicly invited people to attempt to hack his personal account after the company patched a security vulnerability in its new widgets.
The vulnerability was discovered around November 9-10, 2026, when Telegram rolled out HTML widgets for its Android and Windows apps. These widgets enable interactive features including payments. On November 11, researchers at security firm V12 demonstrated a proof-of-concept for a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability tied to these widgets.
Telegram responded swiftly, pushing a server-side patch to all users within hours of the demonstration. The fix was implemented on Telegram's infrastructure, meaning users didn't need to update their apps. The company reported no confirmed exploitations or data theft linked to the flaw.
Dispute Over Severity
On November 13, Durov personally addressed the security issue, challenging claims that the vulnerability could compromise users through simple messages. He argued that exploitation required an active third-party service to be initiated first, which would significantly limit potential targets.
come and get me
The security incident coincides with Telegram's expansion into financial services, with more than 1 million new integrated crypto wallets appearing within 48 hours. Durov's public challenge effectively serves as a stress test for the platform's security measures.
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